PLANS to develop the site of a Masonic Hall were thrown out because of 'people power'.

That's the verdict of jubilant borough councillor Mike McCusker, who had fought the scheme in Whitby.

He led 40 residents into the council's planning meeting to put forward their objections to the application, submitted by Ellesmere Port Masonic Hall Ltd.

The two-pronged proposal was to re-build the hall at 141 Chester Road and erect eight two-storey apartments and six houses next to it, with a new access and parking.

But, after listening to the objections, councillors on the planning board threw out the scheme.

They ruled it represented an 'overdevelopment' of the site.

And they said the new club would be too close to the new homes, to both their detriment and that of residents nearby.

Speaking afterwards, Cllr McCusker (Ind, Whitby) said: 'We managed to get 40 residents at that meeting. The council's decision is a tribute to people power.

'There are concerns about bats on the site, as they are a protected species, and the potential noise from cars visiting the site.

'Also, the occupants of each of the housing units in the scheme would have been given one-and-a-quarter parking spaces each, which is crazy.'

Cllr McCusker, who was joined in his opposition by Cllr Tony Walsh (Lab, Whitby), added: 'This was clearly over-development.

'There would have been just 36 parking spaces for the club, which holds up to 140 people. So if there was an event there with just half that amount of people going, where would they all park? They'd overspill in front of the homes of the existing residents.'

There have been numerous applications for the site - two asking for a new hall and 12 homes, refused in March and August 2002; a new access road, refused in December 2002; and a new Masonic lodge and 15 homes, refused in December 2004.